'Memphis' on my mind

By Michelle Graff
michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com

June 2, 2010

Before I left for a lovely, long Memorial Day weekend I got the chance, via a ticket obtained through the Diamond Information Center (DIC), to see the new Broadway musical "Memphis."

Set in Memphis, Tenn., in the 1950s, the musical tells the story of the then-controversial love affair
between Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball), a white radio disc jockey who breaks the color barrier by playing black music on white stations, and Felicia Farrell (Montego Glover), an up-and-coming African-American singer. (Kimball and Glover are pictured here at a private DIC dinner held in their honor in May.)

So, what's the connection between the DIC, the public relations arm of the Diamond Promotion Service, which does marketing on behalf of De Beers, and this new musical?

While I was watching "Memphis" I thought, at first, that the connection had to be the three engagement rings that made cameos appearances during the two-act musical.

It turned out that it was not the engagement rings that piqued the DIC's interest in the production. It was message behind the musical: that the strength of love can endure multiple hardships.

As the DIC's Francesca Ferrante explained to me: "We felt that the love story in Memphis was very in tune with the symbolic message behind the Everlon Diamond Knot Collection and felt it a great, organic opportunity to support the 'strength of love' Everlon story while also supporting the musical and the cast, who have been so well received and nominated for so many amazing awards since the Broadway debut."

Ferrante also noted that Glover has worn Everlon to previous events. At the DIC dinner honoring the
show's stars, Glover once again donned Everlon, wearing the three-tassel knot earrings in oxidized white gold (pictured here; click on photo for a larger image).

Memphis has been nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Leading Actor for Kimball, and Best Leading Actress for Glover, as well as Best Musical. The Tony Awards are scheduled for June 13.